Big Turn Music Festival - 2025
This year, we downsized our Big Turn Music Fest programming to minimize disruption to the shop, as we had several projects in progress. There were no helium balloons, neon signs, or graffiti picnic tables. We booked six acts (instead of eight), started an hour earlier than in past years, and featured smaller performances. However, the spirit of BTMF couldn't be contained, and we reached building capacity for four out of the six performances.
Meet Mr. Big
Or, if you prefer the informal, Biggie, or just Big.
Last September, we faced a heart-wrenching loss as our beloved frame shop dog, Pi, succumbed to a very aggressive cancer. For seven years, Pi captured the hearts of our customers, often being specifically requested when clients scheduled appointments. Her absence left a void that seemed impossible to fill.
However, fate had other plans. Our incredible veterinarian reached out to us with an unexpected opportunity to rehome Biggie, a five-year-old border collie. For the past three years, Biggie has served as a soothing presence for both animals and humans at the vet clinic, making him an ideal candidate for our shop.
Biggie's patience and attentiveness are remarkable, and we are thrilled to welcome him into our frame shop family. He will soon become a familiar face at all of our shops. Being a border collie, Biggie thrives on having a job to do, and we are more than happy to have his help. The rehoming process will take about three months in total, but we invite you to stop by the shop and say hello to Biggie.
A nice vise vice
I have a vice for vises. I enjoy hunting down and salvaging old and ugly Stanley 400 framing vises, restoring them to their former glory and making them look beautiful. I cannot resist. Hence, I have a vice for nice vises.
Patented in the 1880s, these vices were produced without design changes for 100 years. They are heavy, made of beautiful ductile cast iron and precision machined.
They're very easy to disassemble, clean, repaint, and relubricate. I like trying various 3-color schemes.
Pi, the Frame Shop puppy, 2017-2024
Pi grew up in the frame shop. She always politely greeted all customers and she quickly became a customer favorite. People would often stop by just to say hi to Pi and share their own rough collie stories from their childhood. One of Pi’s favorite shop chores was to simply watch the traffic and anticipate the next customer drop-in. She always loved to accompany any customer deliveries because that would usually mean some very positive attention.
Pi's stubbornness was adorable at first, but it could be quite challenging at times. We had to develop specific techniques to get her to cooperate when she was unwilling. Since she wasn't motivated by food, that approach was entirely ineffective. However, we discovered that Pi had an exceptional ability to understand intent. By explaining our intentions and requesting a compromise, we usually managed to gain her cooperation.
Sadly, Pi developed a very aggressive lymphoma and we had to euthanize her before her quality of life significantly declined. It was incredibly hard to lose her because she was so unique, and she was only seven years old.
Free Little Art Gallery, v2.1
Being an engineer is quite simple. There are three basic rules:
Learn from your mistakes.
Don’t repeat the same mistake.
Don’t fear making mistakes.
With these principles in mind, the Free Little Art Gallery is trying something new. Initially conceived as a 'depot' for public art exchange with an unlocked box, the concept faced repeated abuse and disheartening outcomes.
So now, we're introducing a rotating exhibit space for the public. We will curate the exhibit with invited artists and print 'minis' of their creations. Every four to five weeks, we'll refresh the gallery with new art.
Our first featured artist for the Free Little Art Gallery is Ray Cook.
Ray Cook was a renaissance man with a wide range of interests, including art, handcrafts, and long-distance running. He was a licensed pilot and had a long career as an Air Traffic Controller.
Ray pursued art and painting at State Fair Community College after retirement, focusing on one of his lifelong favorite subjects: barns.
His straightforward and unpretentious watercolor paintings showcase his practice of perspective and definition, favoring a unique and distinctive color palette.
Ray passed away in 2023 at the age of 87. His light continues to shine through his art and his creative legacy.
Stockholm Framing & Fine Art Printing
We've expanded our print shop space and enhanced our moulding chop shop capabilities in Stockholm, WI. This location won't serve customers directly, but it will focus on printing and frame building production to support and supplement our main operations in Red Wing, MN. Everything is on wheels and is extremely flexible.
We now have a space that we can safely build oversized frames, spread out for large print projects and even begin to experiment with custom staining.
Welcome Alysa!
We are thrilled to announce that Alysa Toov has joined our Northfield location. With a working background in custom picture framing shops, Alysa has a keen understanding of design and frame construction and creates a warm and inviting design environment.
She is a thoughtful designer, dedicated to meeting the unique needs and preferences of her customers.
Alysa appreciates all forms of art and loves hearing the stories behind her customers' projects. She holds a Master's degree in art history from the University of St. Thomas.
In her spare time, Alysa enjoys hiking, playing tennis, fly fishing, and spending quality time with her family.